Saturday, July 19, 2014

Kula says gov't wavering causes cynicism

2:28PM Jul 19, 2014 Malaysiakini

Kula says gov't wavering causes cynicism

DAP national vice-chairperson M Kulasegaran said
the government continued on matters of grave social concern to oscillate
between noble intentions and a weak will at implementing the mechanisms
for their transmission from intent to reality.

“This suspension between nobility of intent and an enfeebled will at
enforcing good intentions is the reason behind the prevailing public
cynicism about politicians,” observed the MP for Ipoh Barat.

Speaking at a forum on unilateral conversion of minors in Ipoh earlier
this week, the federal legislator said that though seasoned politicians
acknowledged that the road to hell is usually paved with good
intentions, no lasting policy or initiative aimed at solving recurrent
problems could take hold on society without it stemming from a good
intention.

“The
government had a good intention when it set up the Royal Commission on
the management of the police force eleven years ago, but when the panel
recommended a viable solution to the problem of custodial deaths, the
government wavered on its implementation,” observed the lawyer who acts
for estranged spouses who have had their children caught in custodial
disputes converted to another religion.

Kulasegaran was referring to the Independent Police Complaints and
Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) which the RC on making the police force
more effective recommended in its report unveiled in March 2005.

He noted that the government also had a good intention in April 2009
when a Cabinet committee recommended the banning of unilateral
conversions of minors caught in custodial disputes between estranged
parents.

Ignoring custodial battle kids’ pain

“A feeble will is the reason why the government has not moved from
converting good intention into the legislative mechanisms to prevent
unilateral conversions of minors caught in custodial battles,” asserted
Kulasegaran.

He said this vacillation which takes no heed of the anguish of bereft
spouses and deprived children caught in custodial battles is the cause
of widespread public cynicism about governance and those engaged in it.

“Politicians fiddle while affected parties fume and file for court
action but the judicial process and enforcing agencies are stymied by
being stranded in a grey zone where clashing jurisdictions compete for
the right to be recognized as the rightful authority,” said the MP.

He said enquiries he had raised in Parliament about these interfaith
disputes and custodial deaths receive ambiguous replies from the
relevant ministries.

These replies, he said, raise the question of who really is determining
policy in government – whether it is the Cabinet or government agencies
which decree what ministers should say and do.

“Confusion
is created and skepticism about government and governance is bred such
that matters are left hanging in a grey zone where people are encouraged
to become cynical about politicians,” said Kulasegaran (left).

He said that in the ensuing void, demagogues who represent only a few
and some not even anybody rise to fill the gap, spreading their racial
and religious tocsins.

“Pretty soon the waters are poisoned as the best of peoples lack
conviction while the worst of them are full of passionate intensity. In
this atmosphere, anything and everything can happen,” mused the
four-term parliamentarian.